Emily Howard
by Jennifer M. Serrentino
Summary: This is a story told by Emily Howard, Mary and Anne Boleyn's cousin.


Disclaimer: I do not own Anne or Mary Boleyn or anyone you recognize from "The Tudors." I do own Emily Howard and the story line for the most part.

I was trying to write something for my Fiction writing class and this is what I came up and decided to post this up here to get you guys' reviews. Let me know if it's any good and if I should keep going with it or if I should just get rid of it and start over. I appreciate it!!

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They say that Anne Boleyn was a witch; that she enchanted King Henry and tricked him into denying that Katherine of Aragon was his true and lawful wife. Others will say that she was being pressured and threatened by her father and uncle to seduce the king for their own person and political gains. Still others will say that she did genuinely love Henry and that she was just a misguided young girl that got trapped in a web of deceit and sex. I think that a little bit of everything happened here. After all, I should know; I was there when it happened. I wasn't right in the forefront of everything, but I was still there.

I'm so sorry, I'm being rude. I've forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Emily Howard. Anne Boleyn is-sorry, was my cousin. Her uncle Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, is my father. He is the one that came up with the plan for Mary, Anne's sister, to get into the king's bed and also the one that made sure that Anne was the one that kept Henry "occupied" while Mary was pregnant with his children and kept him from returning to his wife, Katherine of Aragon.

How do I know all of this, you ask? I told you, I was there. When Mary and Anne were sent to court to be ladies-in-waiting to Katherine, I was sent as well. You see, I was supposed to be the back-up plan. If the king didn't like Mary or Anne, I was the next one in line. Thankfully for me, and not my cousins, he liked both of them. …At least for a little while anyways.

Here, let me start from the beginning:

I was about 14 years old when I first overheard my father and Uncle Boleyn discussing their plans for my cousins. I was very close to both Anne and Mary and their brother George growing up, so I heard Mary and Anne's names mentioned, I was curious. I had been warned many a time by my father while growing up to not eavesdrop on him when he was in his chambers, but being the nosy little girl that I was, I never listened. I learned all about court and the goings-on there that way. It didn't hurt that my mother and aunt were some of the biggest gossips in the whole country, so Mary, Anne and I all naturally became the same way. We also learned to be very secretive and discreet while doing this because we were severally punished when we were caught.

I was on my way back to my mother's chambers from my lessons when I heard my father say Mary's name. I slowly crept up to the door and peeked inside. My father was sitting at his desk by the fireplace and my uncle was leaning against the mantle.

"Now, the king is supposed to be traveling through the area within the next few weeks. I have made sure that he rides by your house. Now all's you have to do is make sure that Anne gets his attention and keeps it. With any luck, we will be able get her to court and in his bed within weeks. As long as she gets with child and has a boy, we will be golden and hold England in our hands," my father said.

I gasped at this and quickly slapped a hand over my mouth. I slowly backed away from the door and tried to look inconspicuous as I started walking down the hall towards my mother's room when a hand roughly grabbed my upper arm and whirled me around. Of course, staring down at me was my father. _"I'm in so much trouble," _I thought to myself. Audibly, I said, "Hello Father. I was just—"

"You were just eavesdropping on me again, weren't you Emily?" he asked me. He didn't look angry, just a little annoyed.

"No! Of course I wasn't eavesdropping, Father!" I lied. "I would never—"

"Oh hush up and come in here," he said as he pulled me into his chambers. He pushed me into one of the chairs at the table and said, "So what did you hear?"

"Nothing Father, I swear!" I said, trying not to sound too guilty.

"Emily, my dear, if you're going to lie, then at least try to not sound like you are," my uncle said. He moved from his spot by the mantle and over to the table. "I swear Thomas, she gets more and more like you everyday."

"Humph," my father grunted. "If she was more like me, she would be much more discreet and not as obvious when she gets caught. However, this may work out in our favor. Emily," he said, turning back to me, "how would you like to go to court?"

"Court?" I was puzzled.

"Yes, to be a lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine with your cousins Mary and Anne."

"I would be honored, Father, but I'm confused. I thought that it was supposed to be just Mary and Anne going."

"Well, seeing as you have overheard our plans for your cousins, you will be going along as well. I need you to be my eyes and ears while in the queen's chambers and keep an eye on your cousins. I need you to make sure that my plan goes according to plan," he explained.

"And what plan is that?" I asked, trying to be coy.

"Exactly," he said. I looked at him puzzled. "Emily, no one can ever find out what your uncle and I have been talking about. It would be considered treason against the king and you would be executed along with your uncle and me."

"But I didn't do anything wrong!" I exclaimed.

"I know that, but at court alls it takes is a whisper and the next thing you know you're facing the gallows."

Now I was scared. I wanted to please my father and uncle, but not at the expense of my life. I looked at my father and said, "What would this entail doing?"

My father smiled and said, "Nothing. Just make sure that Anne stays in the king's favor. Your uncle and I will take care of the hard parts."

"Will I get new dresses?" I asked.

My father smiled again; he knew that he had me where he wanted me. "Yes my dear, you and your cousins will all be getting new dresses for court. Now, remember what I said: no one can find out what has been discussed here today. Understand?" I nodded. "Good. Now, go to your chambers and start packing. You will be leaving with your uncle in the morning to stay with your cousins until you leave for court."

"Thank you Father, Uncle Boleyn." I curtsied and left the room. As soon as I had cleared the room and closed the door behind me. I leaned against and sighed.

"Do you think that she can do it?" I heard my uncle ask.

"I believe so," my father said. "Besides, if Anne can't keep the king's attention, then Mary will have to."

"And if Mary can't?" my uncle asked.

"Then Emily will. Let's just hope that your daughters can do what we need them to and that it doesn't come down to Emily," my father said. "I don't think that she would be our best bet to get an heir on the throne."

"And Anne is?"

"Yes. Anne is a little slut and temptress and could make a priest forget about his vows of abstinence," Father said.

"I suppose."

At that, I was running up to my room. Once I got there, I closed the door and ran everything over in my head. _"They want me to seduce the king if Anne and Mary can't?" _I thought. _"How on Earth am I supposed to do that?"_

The next morning, I was packed and on my way to my uncle's house. I was excited and scared out of my mind at the same time. I was excited to see my cousins that I had seen in a year and I was scared because I knew what was ahead of me once we got to court.


End file.
